Flying-machine.



S. R. SMITH.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.30. 1914.

1,139,820 Patented May 18, 1915.

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THE MORRIS PETERS co., PHoTc-L/THQ, WASHINGTON, D. C.

S. R. -SIVIITI-l.

'FLYING MACHINE.

vAPPLICAUOM FILED 1AN.30, 1914.

1,139,820;a Patented 111115118, 1915.

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www Ey @Mm 1HE MORRIS PETERS- Co.. FHDTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D4 C,

S. H. SMITH.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.30. 19m.

1,139,820. 1111611161 May18,1915.

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THE NORRIS PETERS C0., FHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

S. R. SMITH.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION msn 1m30, 1914.

1,139,820. Patented May 18, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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THE MORRIS PETERS C0.. PHOTG-LITHD., WASHINGTON, D. C4

narran sunans rnrnnr ernten.

SAM R. SMITH, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF FIVE ONE-HNDREDTHS T0r PAUL G. HOFFMAN, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

y FLYING-MACHINE..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May i8, 1915.

Application filed January 30, 1914. Serial No. 816,642.

To all 'whom it may concern zen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented anew and useful Flying-Machine, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to improvements in flying machines, and the object of my invention is to provide a flying machine which in starting a flight may lift itself from the surface in a substantially vertical direction and in ending a flight Vmay descend in a similar manner, without the gliding start f or stop, as is necessary in the common type of such machines.

Another object is to provide a means for the simultaneous opening and closing of a plurality of revoluble planes.

Another object is to provide a means whereby a plurality of coacting revoluble planes may be simultaneously opened on the down stroke, and closed on the up stroke.

Another object is to provide a means whereby said planes may be adapted to open and close at any desired position around their axes.

Another object is to provide a 4means,

whereby a heavier than air vehicle composed of a plurality of revoluble planes, may be forwardly or 4upwardly propelled by changing the angle aty which said planes will open and close. y y

Another object is to provide Va heavier than air vehicle having a low center of gravity.

Another object is to provide a vehicle having an auxiliary means for stabilizing the vehicle and retarding it in its descent in the event of the stoppage of the engine in midair. l

Another object is to provide a heavier than air vehicle `having a. series of ycollapsible, extensible and revoluble planes adapted to completely revolve wide open or totally extended so that when about to alight the descent of the machine will beretarded by extending the planes by means of an air valve located .at or nearthe drivers seat.

Other objects mayappear in the subj oined detailed description. y

My invention consists primarily in that form of heavier than air vehiclesadapted to rise directly fromk the ground in a sub- Vvice, with details eliminated. side elevation. Fig. 3 is a cross section on stantially vertical direction and comprises a plurality of revoluble elements arranged in pairs or sets, there being an equal number of said elements on eachy side of the.center of the vehicle all Aof said elements being parallel and adapted to' rotate in the same direction; each of said elements comprising a frame fixed to va shaft and having arms radiating from said shaft on each end of the' frame, the arms on one side being in the same transverse plane with those on the other end, and a plurality of collapsible planes being moimted kbetween the opposite arms. The arms are hollow and are suitably secured at their inner endsrto a cylinder, the number of said cylinders being equal to the number of arms, and said cylinders being cast integral with a cylinder head adapted to rotate with the arms and provided at the outer face with a smooth surface adapted to contact with a normally stationary, but adjustable valve collar. Suitable air ports are provided inthe cylinder heads and the valve collars for the admission and emission of air to and from the cylinders.

The details of my invention are disclosed in the subjoined description in which similar reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of my invention on the drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my de- Fig. 2 is a the line 00L-m3, Fig. 4 of the air valve mechanism. Fig. l is a cross section on the line 4-4, Fig. V3 of the same, showingk the arm and the wing yoperating mechanism. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the arm and the wing operating mechanism.

Fig. 6 -is a view showing the manner of securing the wing stays to the strand. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same, but showing, additionally the manner of securing the wings to the stays. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 9, is a perspective view of one series of planes and the revolving arms, the details of the valve cellars and cylinders being omitted. Fig. 10 isa lateral section of Fig. 5 onthe line x10-0010.

The main framey consists of the horizontal members l, the vertical members 2 and suitable guy strands 3 located at convenient positions around the frame. The auxiliary plane 4 is secured to the horizontal members .l

v1 of the top of the main frameV in any suitable manner, and is used to maintain an even keel of the machine when in flight, or in the event Vof a sudden stoppage of the en-r gine or motor, will retard the descent Yofthe vehicle owing to the resistance of the air,

and like a Vparachute will serve to maintain the vehicle in Yan upright position. At the bottom of the main frame are secured the horizontal cross membersVV 5, 5, 6-and 6"'to which are suitably secured the bearings 7 V mounted therein the having rrevolubly shafts 8.

The sub-frame 9 depends from the main frame' and is provided with a suitablefloor, which maybe inclosed by a screen 9', and

- onwhich is mounted'theengine or motor 10 and the drivers seat 11. i Beneath'lthe subframe 9 are theYr runners 12 which' are Vco'nnected'with the sub-frame by the coil springs 13, by means of which when alighting, the vehicle is cushioned againsttheimpact with the -ground or surface upon which the vehicle alights; l may-equip the Vrunf Vners with wheels, not shown, if it is desired, or the manner ofsecuring the same 'to the frame may bechanged to suit v varying conditions. Y f

On the 'inner ends vof theshafts 8 and fixed ythereto are the sprockets 14, and on one ofA these shafts or ony a secondary shaft 16, lasshown in Fig'. 2 isplaced the sprocket 15,-which is connected with a similar Y sprocket17 on the engine shaft by the chain 18V and similar chains 19 connect the sprockets '14 with the driving sprocket 15, thus imparting motion toall of the shafts 8, the

, sprockets and chains being so arranged that all ofthe shafts'rotate inthe same direc-V tion. l

On each end yof the' shafts 8 and immev' diately inside loffthe'bearings 7 are loosely fitted the valve collars 20 which have the inwardly projecting flanges 21 andthecon-y centric-ports 22 and 23, the former being an' intake port and the latter an exhaust, andVY "securedto the flange 2k6 ofthe bearing 7 are the studs 25 adapted to engage thel 'slots 25 in the valve collars 2O and on these studs are the springs 27 adaptedto bear against the valve collar 20, andhold them'normally away from the bearings 7. Y The bearings and the collars 20 are so positioned'on the shafts 8 as to allow of ya sliding backward and forward onthe shafts 8 of the valve recess in the valve collars '20 4formed by the Y flanges 21, and extending outwardly and radially from this head are -the'cylin'ders 30, having on the Aouter ends the 'contracted necks 31'over Awhich are fitted and to Awhich -j yare tightly securedl the hollow arms'32, the

ycylinders and arms on both ends of the shafts being exactly opposite each other.

The pistons 33 are slidablyA mounted'in i the cylinders Aand haveA secured thereto, the piston' rods 34 slidably mounted in the neck 31 and provided outside of theneck and in theY hollowA arms with they springs 35, and

the arms 35. 'f

`Inthe face`29 of the cylinder head are the circular ports 36 at right angles toV and connecting the cylinders 30 vand adapted to register. with the valve ports 22 and 23, in the valve collar 2O.

The air supply Ytube 37 may be connected with an air'storage tank or compressor in any suitable manner. f In both'ends of the arms 32 are revolubly mounted the sheaves 38 on the pins V39, Yand passing Vover the sheaves are the endless strands 40 to which aresecured'at regular intervals, by means of the U bolts 41, the ends of thevcross bars 42 adapted to slide in suitable slots 43'in ofthe cross bars Ybeingsecured 'to the up-Y tially over the position occupied by the lower`A cross bars. cured at one side to the'crossbar` on the top side of the strand andV on the other side to the cross bar on the lower; Side of the the Vvring 45 through the Vperforations 4G in the cross bars 42 and through `the metalY A fabric plane 44 is se-V i "the sides ofthe arms 32, an equal number per and lower sides ofthe endlessstrand 40,- Y and the upper Across bars being r'substanstrand, thefmanner ofvsecuring the planes Y 44 to the. cross bars consisting of passingVV l eyes 47 in the wings and then clamping the -ends of the rings together. f. The planes 44 are collapsible and adapted to'be folded as shown'in Fig, on the upstroke, and to be extended or spread when'the arms are on the downstroke, in their revolution.

^ All of the valve collars20 are connected Vwith the lateral rod 48 bymeans of the arms 50, and the rod 48 is *connected with the handlever 51 on the side of the seat 11 by means of thev arm 52. The steering wheel 53 is secured'` in aY suitable manner to the y floor of the sub-frame or the seatV 11, and

operably connected with .the steering vane 54 on thel top of the mainY frame, by means i of the steering rod 55.

Y In operation, when the engine or motor" isstartedthe valve kcollars being normally Y f set so that ,the exhaust vports therein will register' with the ports in 'the' cylinder heads at the instant when the arms in their revolution Varound the shafts begin the down stroke the airA will'bereleased from the cylinders 30 and byr mea-ns of the springsv 35 acting Vagainst the arms 35', ne

which slidein'the hollow arms 32 and are secured to the strands 40 at their forward ends, the pistons willV slide inwardly in the cylinders, fr and by means of their connection with the strands will cause the strands to move on the sheaves 38, thus separating the cross bars .42 and spreading the planes 4A, which will remain spread until the bottom of the stroke has been reached andthe intake ports in the valvecollarsand the cylinder heads register, when air will be admitted into the cylinders, cause the pistons kto slide outwardly, and by moving the strands on the sheaves cause the planes to collapse or fold up so as to offer no resistance to the air on the upstroke. The ports in the valve collars are elongated concentrically so that area enough is provided to insure theabsolute filling or evacuation of the cylinders with the air from the tank when the cylinders revolve rapidly.

The hand lever on the side of the drivers seat is in a neutral position when the valve collars are so set that the cylinders will take air at the beginning of the upstroke and exhaust at the beginning of the downstroke, so that when the clutch on the engine is thrown in gear with the driving sprockets,

and the arms begin to revolve, the tendency of the vehicle is to lift from the surface in approximately avertical direction, and this action will continue until it is desired to move forward or backward, when upon shifting the hand lever 5l in a forward or backward direction,as the case may be, the movement ofthe lever will cause theV valve collars 20, by means of the rods 48 and the arms 52 to revolve on the shafts a part of a revolution in proportion to the movement of the lever 5l, and this movement of the valve collars changes the point at which the air will be admitted to and exhausted from the cylinders, and serves to regulate the speed and angle of flight of the vehicle,

which is at all times, proportional to the movement of the valve collars. Itshould be understood that all of the valve collars are coacting and are operated simultaneously.

The engine and driving mechanism being located at the exact center of gravity of the vehicle, and said center of gravity being below the planes of the vehicle, an even keel will at all times be maintained, and should the engine stop when the vehicle is in midair, the large auxiliary plane on the top of the vehicle will cause the vehicle, parachute like, to drop to the surface in an easyk manner, and will also serve to balance the vehicle in flight. The collapsible planes, while serving primarily as a lifting and propelling means, also become automatically extended or spread, when theengine is stopped and the air is expelled from the cylinders when a by-pass valve (not shown) at or near the drivers seat is turned off so that the air tank is disconnected from the cylinders, in which case the springs 35 will extend or spread the planeslll and so hold them regardless of the relative position of the valve ports and valve collars, thus serving jointly with theauxiliary pla-neto re'- tardr the descent ofthe machine in case of accident.y y

lt is obvious that l may use any number of revoluble arms or anyy number of collapsible planes between the arms, or l may use a somewhat different construction without departing from the spiritof my invention.

I am aware of certain patents relating to Vcompressed air means for collapsing and spring means for spreading said planes.

2. A flying machine having aV series of revoluble collapsible planes arranged in pairs, and series of pairs, operably connected toa series of compressed air actuated pistons by which said planesmay be collapsed,v

and a series ofsprings by which said planes maybe spread, and means for revolving said planes.y

3. A flying machine having a series of revoluble collapsible planes arranged in pairs, and series of pairs, compressed air means for collasping said planes, and spring means for spreading said planes automa-tically when the engine is accidentally stopped, whereby the descent of said machine may be gradually accomplished.y

Il. A flying machine having a series of revoluble collapsible planes arranged in pairs and series of pairs, spring means for spreading and compressed air means forV collapsing said planes alternately and regularly, at opposite points in their revolution,

and means attached to ornear the operators l seat whereby thek spreadingor collapsing ofsaid planes may be regulated or the point in their revolution at which said spreading or collapsing occurs may be changed at the will of the operator to produce a forward or upward movement of said machine.

5. A flying machine having a series of revoluble collapsible planes arranged in pairsV and series of pairs, spring means for spreading and compressed air means for collapsing said planes alternately and regularly at opposite points, in their revolution, and means whereby said spreading and collapsing points maybe regulated or moved around the axis of said planes to produce a forward, backward, upward or downward direction of flight. f

6. A flying machine having a series of 4' i Y Y 1,13%@

revbluble collapsible planes arrangedy in horizontally disposed above said revolulolev e' f pairs and series'opairs, spring means for planesvas described. spreading and compressed air means for f f collapsing said planes alternately and regu` SAM R' SMITH 5 larly at' oppste points in their revolution, Witnesses.: l

in combination With i1ieans for revolving y J. HASKIN', said planes and' a stationary aui'iliary plane E." C'. VVESGATT.V

Copies of thispatent may be obtained for ive-idents each, byaddressing the Cbinmissionei ofi Patents, Y Washingtomb. G. l 

